Thomas arnold



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE THOMAS ARNOLD, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR TO WM. & J. S. ARNOLD & CO.

INVALID-BEDSTEAD.

Specication of Letters Patent No. 12,940, dated May 29, 1855.

To all whom it may concern,

Be it known that I, THOMAS ARNOLD, of Mobile, in the county of Mobile and State of Alabama, have invented a new and Improved Invalid-Bedstead; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a longitudinal vertical section of my improvement. Fig. 2, is a transverse vertical section of do, the plane of section being through the center.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two gures.

The nature of my invention consists in formingthe main frame or bottom of an ordinary bedstead in three parts so arranged, that the center part is stationary, the head part rendered capable of being elevated, and the foot part depressed, whereby invalids may be properly nursed with but comparatively little labor.

To enable others skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describeit.

A represents the bottom of the bedstead which is formed of three parts (a) (b) (o), connected by hinges (d) (e). The center part (b) of the bottom A, is stationary and supported by legs but the head and foot parts (a) (c) are movable, the head part being so attached to the part (b) by the hinges that it may be raised or inclined and supported by a frame orpprop B attached by hinges (g) to4 the under side of the bottom A, as shown in Fig. l. The foot part (c) of the bottom is attached to the part (Z2) by the hinges (e) so that it may be turned down. The head and foot parts (a) (c) are provided with legs (h) at their ends, the legs (L) of the foot part being attached to it by hinges (j) so that they can be turned under and thereby allow the part (c) to drop, see Fig. l, in which the head part (a) is raised and the foot part (c) depressed, represented in red. Through the center of the part (b) a circular hole or aperture (la) is made, as shown in Fig. 2, and C is a flap which is attached by a hinge (l) to the under side of the boteach provided with mattresses (m) which are disconnected, and the mattress of the center part (b) has a hole (n) made through it directly over the hole or aperture (la) in the bottom A. The flap C has a pad or projection (0) attached to its side, which pad or projection fits in the holes (la) (a) in the bottom A and mattress when said flap is secured in a horizontal position, see Fig. 1.

The fla-p C is secured in a horizontal position by a button (p) attached to the under side of the bottom A, as shown in Fig. 2. The bottom A may be formed of slats, cords, or sacking.

If the invalid wishes to lie in a horizontal position the bedstead is in the ordinary position as shown in black Fig. l, but when desired, the head and shoulders may be raised by elevating the part (a) and securing it bythe frame or prop B. The foot part (c) may also be dropped by turning under the legs (h), and the invalids position may be changed from a lying to a sitting posture without any inconvenience and without occasioning any injury or distress to the invalid. If the chamber is to be used, the flap C, is dropped, and the chamber represented by D is placed underneath the holes or apertures (7s) (n) as shown in Fig. 2. The chamber being placed upon a stool or bench E.

By the above invention it will be seen that the labor of attending upon the sick is rendered comparatively light, and one nurse or attendant may answer for several invalids, as no heavy lifting is necessary as usual in order to raise and move the position of the invalid. The difficulty also of getting in and out of bed is obviated for when the foot part (c) is dropped and the Vpart (a.) raised the invalid may sit upon the part (b) and step oli' upon the Hoor, or bygently elevatin said part (b) and depressing the part ga) be brought in a horizontal position. The improvement would be extremely useful in hospitals where a large number of sick are under medical treatment and generally few nurses provided.

tom A. The three parts (a) (b) (c) are.

I do not claim separately any of the Withhead part (a) rendered capable of being in described parts irrespective of the genelevated and the foot part depressed in the 10 eral construction of the bedstead. d manner and for the purpose set forth.

I/Vhat I claim therefore as new an desire 5 to secure by Letters Patent, is- THOMAS ARNOLD I claim forming the main frame 0r bottom Witnesses: A, of the bedstead in three parts (a) (b) (c) G. G. OVERALL,

the middle part (b) being stationary and the CHAS. H. MOTT. 

